Strictly’s Claudia Winkleman left red-faced after after pro Vito Coppola’s embarrassing blunder
Claudia Winkleman was left red-faced after after Vito Coppola’s embarrassing blunder on tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Pro dancer Vito, 31, mistook Claudia, 51, for her co-host Tess Daly, 54, as he chatted to her alongside contestant Ellie Leach, 22.
The presenter had quizzed him on why the pair call themselves ‘team aubergine’, but things soon took an awkward turn.
He replied: “So Tess,” before Ellie jumped in and corrected him.
The 11-time Italian Latin American Champion fell into Ellie’s arms as they all burst into laughter.
But Claudia styled it out perfectly, insisting, “No, no, I’ll take it!”
After composing himself, Vito revealed they coined the name after Ellie developed a love for the vegatable from his cooking.
Ellie and Vito have grown very close during the competition and just a couple of weeks ago they shared a kiss on stage after a very passionate Paso Doble.
At the end of the dance Vito placed a hand on his partner’s cheek and pulled her in for a kiss, not once but twice.
Strictly has revitalised Ellie after she suffered heartbreak in May when she split from cheating ex Reagan Pettman.
She told The Mirror: “Being cheated on was upsetting, but now’s the perfect time to put my all into Strictly and give that 500 percent.
“Self-confidence is something I’ve always struggled with. As an actor, people don’t see that – they think you’re this confident person and you can do anything. I’m hoping Strictly will bring that for me, push me and make me realise I’m capable of things.
“Vito has taught me so much already. He tells me, ‘It’s a competition with yourself. If you’re tired, fight it, if you’re stressed, fight it’. I also don’t praise myself enough, I just focus on the wrong. But then he’ll say to me, ‘Yeah, but you just did that…’”